Blackstone Chambers has added former Clyde & Co partner Sapna Jhangiani KC to bolster its disputes capabilities in Asia.
Jhangiani, who was the first female lawyer in Singapore to be appointed as a silk in England, has substantial advocacy experience gained at the Bar of England and Wales. Most recently she worked as a government advocate in Singapore, where she is also called to the Bar.
She spent 15 years at Clyde & Co, first practising in Dubai and then Singapore, before making partner in 2016. She left Clydes in 2021 to join the Singapore Attorney-General’s Chambers, where she spent three years as international legal counsel before departing in August. Last month, Jhangiani was sworn in as a part-time judge of the Court of Appeal of the DIFC Courts.
She is the current vice chair of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Commission on ADR and Arbitration, the ICC arbitration’s lead arbitral committee. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1999, Singapore in 2019 – one of the first UK-qualified lawyers to be called there – and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in 2024, while also taking silk in 2020. Before joining Clyde & Co, she was a barrister at media law set 5RB for more than five years.
Joint head of Blackstone Chambers Jane Mulcahy KC, who has led the set alongside Tom Weisselberg KC since 2022, said: “We are delighted that Sapna will bring her formidable experience and skill as an international arbitration and court advocate to Blackstone. We look forward to welcoming her and supporting her in further developing our presence in the key offshore jurisdictions of Singapore, India, BVI, Cayman and Dubai.”
Jhangiani said she was thrilled to join Blackstone, adding: “I look forward to collaborating with the exceptional barristers at Blackstone as we continue to make our mark internationally.”
Former Solicitor General of India and member of Blackstone Chambers, Harish Salve KC SA, added: “Sapna is undoubtedly a top silk. Having appeared before her in arbitration, I know she will be a huge asset to chambers.”
The announcement comes as senior clerk Gary Oliver is set to retire after 34 years at the set, being replaced by joint senior clerks Adam Sloane and Derek Sutton.
Oliver was one of the chief architects of the set’s success, alongside current chambers director Mat Swallow, who succeeded Julia Hornor after 31 years in post last year. Oliver will retain a consultancy for the next two years.
The set welcomed four new tenants on the conclusion of their pupillages back in July, while Lord Burnett of Maldon, the former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, joined the set back in February.
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